Question: Under what circumstances can an underage offender be sentenced to boot camp instead of prison? Answer: Under Illinois law, offenders ages 17 to 35 who commit nonviolent acts, such as robbery or burglary, can be sentenced to boot camp or probation instead of prison. But for so-called “forcible felonies,” such as armed robbery, boot camp is not an option. For more information about Illinois law, visit www.illinoislawyerfinder.com. If you have a legal question, send it to illinoislawcolumn@isba.org. Illinois Law Now is a series of newspaper and internet posts prepared by the Illinois State Bar Association that address legal issues of interest to the public. For additional information about the law, visit https://www.isba.org/